United Airlines operates the only nonstop US flights into Dubai
United Airlines’ new nonstop service to Dubai makes it the first U.S. airline to offer direct flights to the United Arab Emirates since 2016. According to Reuters, United previously operated a direct flight between Washington, D.C. and Dubai, but that flight was canceled that year.
On Sunday, just after 6 p.m. local time, United Airlines flight 164, which departed Saturday night, landed safely at Dubai International Airport. This was the first of several daily passenger flights between Dubai and Newark.
United and Emirates’ partnership, which was announced in the fall, will continue to grow with this breakthrough flight. With the addition of this route, United now flies to 35 different cities on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, a sign of the company’s ambitions to grow internationally.
Prior to boarding, Patrick Quayle, senior vice president of global network planning and alliances at United Airlines, provided Travel + Leisure with the first impressions of the flight as well as some words of wisdom.
“It’s really about creating an opportunity for our passengers to have that ability to fly United,” he said. “It really is symbolic to have a United plane going there.”
On request, passengers flying in the Polaris business class cabins will receive Saks Fifth Avenue bedding, noise-canceling headphones, and pajamas for the 13.5-hour flight. The aircraft also has 156 economy spaces, 46 economy plus seats, and 24 premium plus seats.
United Airlines and Emirates agreed to codeshare last year, which led to the launch of the new service. The respective airlines held a press conference in Washington to announce their agreement in September, saying that the inclusion of non-stop flights between Newark and Dubai would “terrify” their competitors.
Since November, passengers flying Emirates to Chicago, Houston, and San Francisco have been able to connect to United flights going to and from approximately 200 cities across the Americas with just one ticket as part of the agreement. Additionally, The National News Travel notes that it’s predicted for direct flights from Newark to Dubai to increase U.S. travel to the Emirates.
Visit United Airlines’ website for additional specifics and to reserve your seat on a nonstop flight to Dubai.
Evie Blanco is a journalist with nearly a decade of experience who was born in the Dominican Republic and raised in Queens, New York. She is extremely well-versed in hip-hop music and culture and is always aware of any developments within it. Whether it’s the latest in pop culture, a fascinating foreign destination, a truly amazing new restaurant, or breaking news, she loves to write about it all.
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This story was originally published March 28, 2023 at 10:33 AM.